The Viperine Water Snake

Habitat: Most habitats, excluding dense woodland or desert, even in mountain streams.

Diet: Frogs.

Max. length: 500-600mm SVL (600-700mm TL).

Reproductive strategy: Oviparous with clutches of 4-20 eggs.

The viperine watersnake is the most viper-like of the European watersnakes, both in looks and behaviour, and it is frequently killed by persons who confuse it with a venomous snake. I have since found specimens in Portugal in even cold mountain streams so it appears to be plentiful. I once taught a female traveling companion to catch snakes and she brought me 13 viperine watersnakes in under one hour. I had to ask her to stop.